Educads

288 Best Professional Universities in the United States

Columbia University leads the 288 Professional universities in the United States at #14 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Next come Johns Hopkins University (QS World #24) and Brown University (QS World #69). Across the whole list there are 1,135 courses to choose from.

288 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
147Ranked
BU Bellevue University logo
#885 in United States United States
#885 in United States · by research impact
65,602 citations · h-index 111
157Ranked
SH Sacred Heart University logo
#936 in United States United States
#936 in United States · by research impact
55,192 citations · h-index 99
159Ranked
CU Clarion University of Pennsylvania logo
#977 in United States United States
#977 in United States · by research impact
45,587 citations · h-index 85
161Ranked
NU Niagara University logo
#981 in United States United States
#981 in United States · by research impact
44,951 citations · h-index 90

By university type

How these universities are ranked

30 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #14 (Columbia University) to #575 (University of South Carolina); they are listed first, in that order. The rest are ordered by research impact. Johns Hopkins University has the largest research record in this group, with 78,461,703 citations and an h-index of 2,284. 14 universities have neither a QS position nor a research record yet and appear at the end, marked "Not yet ranked".

Public, private and where they are

The split is 284 public to 4 private institutions. By location, New York (3), Texas (1) and Missouri (1) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is Columbia University, founded in 1754. Columbia University is the largest, with 33,000 students.

Levels, lengths and start dates

The most common subjects are Medicine & Health Sciences (333), Business & Management (187), Education (133) and Computer Science & IT (79). The usual length is 3–4 years and 2 years. 84% are full-time and 140 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (100% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (1% of courses with a stated intake). University of Alaska - Fairbanks offers the widest choice, with 39 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 6 of these universities. Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey Campus is the least expensive at USD 7,750 a year and Columbia University the most at USD 66,000; the middle of the range is about USD 17,080. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best university in the United States for Professional?

Columbia University (QS World #14), Johns Hopkins University (QS World #24) and Brown University (QS World #69) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Professional in the United States?

Of those with published fees, Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey Campus is the least expensive at about USD 7,750 a year. Fees are indicative — confirm on the university's site.

How many public universities offer Professional in the United States?

284 public and 4 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Professional course take in the United States?

Most listed courses run 3–4 years, with 2 years the next most common.

When do Professional courses start in the United States?

Fall is the main intake — 100% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Spring is the second.

Can I study Professional online with a university in the United States?

140 of these courses are listed as online.

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